Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous addition to the "Once upon a TIme" series. , July 20, 2006
Before Rapunzel was born her mother had her husband steal a certain leafy herb from her neighbor's garden. When the Sorceress, Melisande, discovered this theft she made a bargain with the man that should his wife not be able to make room for her child's arrival (if it was a girl) then he would give the infant over the Melisande as recompense. The vain and selfish mother only cared about her own actions and her own beauty that was wound up in her beautiful golden tresses she cared for daily. When Rapunzel was born with no hair at all her mother rejected her, and she went to live with Melisande (who names her after the offending leafy herb her father stole) in a far away land.
Rapunzel grows up an outcast largely due to the fact that her hair never does grow in. The second part is because of Melisande, whose disconcerting abilities to look into people's heart unnerves all whom she meets. When Rapunzel is a young girl of thirteen she meets a wandering Tinker named Mr. Jones, who gifts her with a small copper colored kitten, and his foster son Harry. Rapunzel names the cat Mr. Jones and becomes fast friends with Harry, who cares not at all about her bald crown and brings her many gifts of headscarves from around the world.
When Rapunzel is 16 Melisande and her have to flee their home because of a mob's attempts to kill them both. On this journey Melisande reveals a terrible secret, one that upends Rapunzel's entire world. The only Mother she has ever known has another daughter, and to make matters worse the only reason Melisande took in Rapunzel in the first place is because within her Melisande recognized the ability Rapunzel possessed to break the enchantment her daughter, Rue, has been a prisoner of for many years. Rapunzel has two choices, to abandon the task that Melisande presents her or to rise to the occasion and summon up all of her strength so that she might vanquish the evil enchantment that holds Rue (and with her Melisande's truest heart) captive.
This is actually the ninth installment of the "Once upon a Time" series that I have read, the latest one to come out thus far. It's pretty on par with many of the other novels in the series, especially those of Dokey's. I enjoyed it as a continuation to a spectacular series. Dokey's prose and storytelling is right on for the feel of this already stellar series, and "Golden" certainly fits right in with one of the better quality books in the series. Readers of fairy tales will enjoy how Dokey retells the myth of Rapunzel, weaving new characters, twists, and turns into an already well loved story. This is a must read for fans of the genre or the series overall.
I do hope that this series is continued in the future, and would love to see certain tales retold. "Cinderella", "The Snow Queen", "Rumpelstiltskin", "The Frog Prince", "Aladdin", "Thumbelina", and "The Princess and the Pea" are all tales I would love to see have this treatment done. Not knowing if, or when, there will be another addition to this series I can only dream, of course... my hope is really on Cinderella... but I will have to wait to see as we all will.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Opposites are complete..., August 5, 2006
Craving what she can't have, our unborn heroine's mother forces her husband to climb into their neighbor's yard and steal a leafy plant that tastes of parsley, called to those who know it as rapunzel. Not enough, the husband again crosses the boundary for another bushel when he is caught red-handed and forced to strike a bargain with the great sorceress/neighbor: Until the child is born, the madam may have as much rapunzel as she likes. But when the child is born, she must love the babe just as it is, for that will mean she will love whatever it becomes. If she cannot do that, the sorceress will claim the child in payment for the rapunzel.
16 years later, Rapunzel is shocked to learn that the one who raised her with so much love, is a great sorceress, and one who has a daughter. And when she is faced with the opportunity to help someone she does not know and find her own heart, she will do whatever she can to complete her task, even if it means losing what she had for the sake of someone's cursed life...
This book has new plots and characters that could only be told by Cameron Dokey. And most of all, you feel for Rapunzel and hopes that she succeeds, and that she ends up happy with the one she loves.
And I disagree with the first review. The ending was totally new and unexpected. And yes, the problem with happy-endings is that at some point you can predict which characters end up together, but that only makes you more anxious to see how things work out. If you want something unanticipated, read Go Ask Alice.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
brief glimpse of gold, April 9, 2006
I have to agree that the book's events surrounding Rapunzel and Rue were too short - their relationship didn't feel that substantial. Thus, the story was somewhat anti-climatic and predictable. However, Dokey does do a good job in building Rapunzel's childhood, character, and relationships. I think Dokey has an amazing understanding of the human heart and has a gift for expressing it in ways that can touch anyone - this book is no exception. "Golden" really dives into what it means to love and sacrifice, just as all of Dokey's other stories. Even with some shortcuts in the plot and ending, the story is pleasant and worth the read - even if only to gain insight into the human capacity for love.
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by Suzanne Weyn
by Cameron Dokey
